Mine-car cootlina



J. A. BISH.

MINE CAR COUPLING. AIPPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1919.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

U rrn srATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. BISI-I, OF SHOWERS, PENNSYLVANIA.

MINE-CAR COUPLING.

Application filed June 5, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. BIsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Showers, in the county of Clarion and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine-Car Cou- 1 lings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mine car couplings and pertains especially to a self-coupling device for connecting mine cars.

The object of the invention is to provide a coupling specially adapted to hitch or couple together cars used in mines, especially coal mines, for conveying and dumping coal without the usual loss of time and labor in hitching or coupling the cars, and without the usual waste of coal by reason of sudden starting and stopping a loaded train of cars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a self-coupling device which shall take up the lost motion between the cars of a train so that the starting pull will not disadvantageously affect the cars, and the starting movement of an engine or motor will be uniformly distributed between the cars for each car.

It is well known that the ordinary mine car hitching or coupling devices, especially such as links, chains and bars, permit such cars to be moved successivelyand individually until the slack or lost motion of such devices is taken up between all the cars of a train; this take-up movement causes a jerk or sudden movement of each car. successively until all the cars are finally pulled together,

' and such jerk or sudden movement of each car produces not only a great strain on and often disables such couplings but causes the coal to fall ofi the cars, requiring such coal to be gathered and reloaded. Therefore it is my purpose to furnish a device which shall overcome said disadvantages and objections, and which shall aflord means for avoiding the usual starting action of each car of a train, and which shall permit the cars to be successively started so as to distribute the starting motion between the cars and thereby perfect a uniform starting of all the cars of a train. It is further well known that the ordinary method of hitching or coupling such cars requires an attendant between the cars, that such ordinary devices are incapable of permitting certain relative movements of the cars in a train, and that in consequence of the sudden independent Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial No. 301,949.

movement of the cars great injury and damage is sustained. It is therefore obvious that I propose to remedy these conditions and things resulting therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application:

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken away showing the application of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a detail cross section of one of the coupling heads.

The same reference characters denote the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention, let me first say that, I have devised a coupling applt table to and which may be successfully used on any of the ordinary mine cars now in use, by merely removing the ordinary .bumper blocks usually found on such cars and bolting the ordinary draw-bars to these couplings, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, wherein the top portion or member 1, of my coupling head has an oflset' or shoulder 2 fitting against the end of the floor as 3 of a coal minecar, and an extension plate f bolted or otherwise attached to the under side of said floor so that the said top mem ber may fit under and be secured to the end of the draw-bar 5 as by a set bolt 6 extending into a lug 7 formed on the said top member. The inner face of the top member 1 is provided with a central channel or raceway 8. The bottom member 9 of the coupling head has a central raceway 10 corre sponding with the raceway 8, and the top member is bolted or otherwise secured to the vertical side walls 11 of the member 9, and the front of these walls form bumpers for a like head 12 on an adjacent car. The head 12 has a gravity hook 13 pivoted thereto at 14, and the hook has an eye 15, for lifting the hook out of engagement with a link 16, in an uncoupling operation.

The device for. taking up the lost motion between the cars in a starting movement of a train engine or motor, comprises a vertical post 17 slidable in the raceways 8 and 10, and having the link 16 pivoted thereto at 18 for vertical swinging movement, and a spiral spring 19 having one end attached to an L-bracket 20 which is attached to the post 17 opposite the link pivot 18, the other end of the spring being attached to a bar extension 21 of the bottom member 9. The bracket and spring connection with the post permits the latter to be turned according to the lateral movement of the coupling link, and the post is limited in its movement in the raceways according to the lengthwise movement of the link by means of the end walls of the raceways.

It will be seen that upon starting a train so coupled, the cars are first successively and independently moved, that is to say the first or forward car may be drawn forward to the limit of travel of the post if necessary before the next car is moved, that the drawbars are then depended upon for making a rigid and fixed connection between the cars and the coupling heads, and that the spiral spring contracts and expands according to the hook pull on the link. It will also be seen that the post may be turned during its forward and rearward movements by and according to the lateral movement of the link, and that by reason of gravity-hanging hook, the link is adapted to be pushed under the hook in a coupling operation and thereby constitutes a self-coupling device.

Although I have shown the head as made in two parts, obviously it may be otherwise made so long as it has bottom and top raceways or grooves for the slidable post, and although I have shown a bracket connection for the spring it may be connected direct with the post so as to permit the latter to turn, therefore I do not wish to limit the invention in these respects, nor do I wish to confine myself as to size and material, but

reserve the right to make such changes and variations in the manufacture and practical application of my invention as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a car coupling, a coupling head having a raceway, acushioning device comprising a post slidable in the raceway and pivotally connected with a coupling member, and a spiral spring anchored at one end and having the other end connected with the post.

2. In a car coupling, a coupling head having top and bottom flanges forming a raceway, a cushioning device comprising a post pivoted to a coupling link and having slidable movement in and limited by the raceway, a spiral spring anchored at one end, and a bracket connecting the other end of the spring with the post, said post adapted to be turned by lateral movement of the link during sliding movement of the post.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. BISH.

Witnesses G. M. WILSON, S. C. POTTER. 

